With the recent release of the Wells Report in regard to Deflate-gate scandal, I find myself shaking my head.

I’m still not sure what exactly happened in the Deflate-gate scandal or who is ultimately responsible, but it seems safe to assume something was done to try to alter the footballs to gain an advantage the other team didn’t have.

That brings up a bigger point: When did that become acceptable and will we ever get back to the true spirit of competition?

I continually hear analysts, talk show hosts and former athletes make the statement that every athlete does things to obtain an advantage over their opponent, implying that all athletes will bend or break rules if it’s the difference between winning and losing.

I would disagree and take offense to that. Sure, true athletes try to get a competitive advantage over their opponents, but that advantage is pursued through hard and extra work, preparation and studying your opponent well. Not every athlete adopts the “win at all or any cost” or “if you aren’t cheating you aren’t trying” mentality.

When I was younger, I fell in love with sports because I believe that once you step between the lines, it’s me vs. you — same size field, same rules, same equipment. Whoever is better prepared, the better player or simply performs better in that moment is victorious.

If you win, you accept the prize with grace and humility knowing that today was your day. You appreciate the effort of the opponent and you never forget that tomorrow’s victory is never guaranteed. Then you return to perfect your craft.

If you lose, you graciously accept that fate. You tip your hat to the opponent with respect for how they competed that day. Then you return to perfect your craft.

To me, this is the true spirit of competition and why to this day there is nothing I would rather do then compete. Things have seemingly changed and pure competition lost its appeal in favor of winning. I wish it wasn’t the case, but I am reminded of this change in sports culture almost daily.

Over the years, we have watched athletes admit to using performance-enhancing drugs and we have seen pitchers caught doctoring balls. We have seen judging scandals, age-related scandals, spying scandals and even scandals where athletes have looked to take out the fiercest competitor before the competition even began.

I know sports has become big business and the difference between winning and losing can mean millions, not to mention the cultural adoration they receive for achieving the highest of heights. This "spirit of competition" is not simply lost on our professional athletes and coaches — I have watched this mentality trickle down and become more prevalent in our youth sports as well. We are now setting an example that rule-breaking is acceptable.

Last weekend, my son played in a 12-and-under basketball tournament. They competed well until they ran into a team that undoubtedly outperformed them. During the game, it came to everyone’s attention that the opposing team had at least one 13-year-old on its roster. We weren’t able to dispute this fact in our game because we didn’t contend the issue before the game started — which seems like we are being told to be suspicious of misconduct.

So before the finals, the other team that had reached the finals was informed so they could make the complaint if they chose. They were about to file the complaint, but realized they had 13 year-olds on their roster, as well. So our team of 11 year olds that was playing up in the 12U division not only was beat by a team that had 13 year olds on it, but watched the final be played between two teams that should have been playing in 13U division.

Without question, my son’s team was greatly outplayed, for the most part by players that I truly believe were within the appropriate age range. They would have beaten us anyways, but does that make it OK? If, at the end of the day, we come to the conclusion that the outcome would have been the same, do we simply turn a blind eye and move on to the next tournament?

In my mind, this issue has nothing to do with winning and losing in most cases. A little trophy for an 11-year-old kid means little in the big picture of life. The issue comes in teaching the next generation of athletes that it is OK to break the rules. The issue is rewarding two teams that have broken the rules by allowing them to continue to play. The issues come in not taking immediate action to make sure the :spirit of competition" stays intact.

In many ways, I have become the man I am today because of what I learned through sports and competition. It’s why I have always pushed my kids to play sports or compete in something. But I am starting to wonder what exactly my young children and all the young athletes are learning from those examples at the highest levels of sport.

Formerly a quarterback for the Rams, Giants and Cardinals, Kurt Warner is currently an analyst for NFL Network and a contributor for Sporting News. With the Rams, Warner won Super Bowl XXXIV and was named Super Bowl and NFL MVP the same year. Off the field, he is involved with his two foundations, First Things First and Treasure House. Read more about them at www.kurtwarner.org and www.treasurehouse.org, hear his analysis at www.nfl.com/nflnetwork, and follow Kurt on Twitter @kurt13warner.